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Cable tester

a cable tester and cable technology, applied in the field of electrical diagnostic systems, can solve the problems of increasing the total cost of ownership, increasing the cost of ownership, and generating inaccurate conventional cable tests,

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-02-28
MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to a cable tester that can test cables to determine their status. The cable tester includes a pretest module that senses activity on the cable and enables testing if activity is not detected for a period of time. A test module is enabled by the pretest module and transmits a test pulse on the cable. The test module measures the reflection amplitude and calculates the cable length to determine the cable status. The cable tester can also include an autonegotiation circuit that negotiates a link with a link partner at one of multiple link speeds. The cable tester can be integrated into a physical layer device, such as an Ethernet device, to facilitate testing cables in a network. The technical effects of the invention include improved cable testing efficiency and accuracy, as well as improved network security.

Problems solved by technology

Cabling problems can cause a significant amount of network downtime and can require troubleshooting resources, which increase the total cost of ownership.
Conventional cable tests may generate inaccurate results when the cable is terminated by an active link partner that is generating link pulses during a test.
When connecting these network devices to cable, the same types of cabling problems that are described above may occur.
Therefore, it is difficult to identify and diagnose cable problems without simply swapping the questionable cable with a purportedly operating cable.
If the purportedly operating cable does not actually work, the consumer may incorrectly conclude that the network device is not operating and / or experience further downtime until the cable problem is identified.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0065]The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify the same elements.

[0066]Referring now to FIG. 2, a cable tester 20 according to the present invention is shown. The cable tester 20 is capable of testing 10 / 100BaseT cable, 1000BaseT cable, and / or other cable media. For example, 10 / 100BaseT includes two pairs of twisted pair wires and 1000BaseT cable includes four pairs of twisted pair wires. A transmitter 28 and a receiver 30 are coupled to the I / O interface 26. A test module 32 includes state machines for testing a media 34 such as cable. The test module 32 can be implemented in combinatorial logic, using discrete circuits, and / or using a processor and memory that executes testing software.

[0067]The test module 32 includes a pretest state machine or module 50. The test modu...

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Abstract

A physical layer device is provided that includes an autonegotiation circuit that negotiates a link with a link partner at first and second link speeds. The physical layer device also includes a cable tester that tests a cable and that determines a cable status of the cable before autonegotiation circuit negotiates the link at the first and second link speeds.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 331,221, filed Dec. 30, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 165,467, filed Jun. 7, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,672. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to electronic diagnostic systems, and more particularly to testing equipment for cable used in a network.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]One goal of a network manager is to control total cost of ownership of the network. Cabling problems can cause a significant amount of network downtime and can require troubleshooting resources, which increase the total cost of ownership. Providing tools that help solve cabling problems more quickly will increase network uptime and reduce the total cost ownership.[0004]Referring now to FIG. 1, conventional cable tes...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G01R31/11
CPCG01R31/021G01R31/11G01R31/58
Inventor LO, WILLIAMGUO, YIQINGTSUI, TAKLEUNG, TSIN-HOHE, RUNSHENGJANOFSKY, ERIC
Owner MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD
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